Love and War
by Horrible-FF-HTW
Summary: Finished Carangil, Glorfindel's brother, has loved and lost. He lives his life killing all evil, until something changes, his brother returns. Journeying to Lothlorien, he sees someone he never thought he would again. Written an extremely long time ago.
1. An Oath

Love and War  
  
Prologue  
An Oath  
  
Carangil waited tensely as a cry was heard from the other room. Gilwen, his wife, was giving birth to their first-born son. The Maidens of Gondolin were all here to help with the birth of the heir to the House of the Golden Flower after himself. A trumpet blast blew with a call to arms. The chief maiden came out and told him to go and they would be fine.  
  
He ran to the armory and grabbed his weapons. He carried a bow with onyxes inlaid where the string attaches to the wood. His sword, Herugor, shimmered with a golden glow and his twin, white knives radiated a silver glow at each of his sides.  
  
Carangil ran out of his house and looked towards the hidden passage. He saw the Valaraukar and the dragons along with the hideous orcs destroying the lower levels of the hidden city. He saw a group of orcs numbering in the hundreds heading up through the gate and into the estate.  
  
Carangil loaded his bow and released the arrow. It hit the foremost orc in between his hideous blood red eyes. All orcs charged towards him and the house. He shot in rapid succession many arrows, slaying many orcs. He threw his bow over his back and drew his twin knives just in time to block the first attack. He heard a scream from inside his house and his body froze. He turned and ran into the house into the room in front of the birthing room. A dead orc lay there with a young elf standing above it with a sword in his hand. The young elf recognized him and called to him.  
  
"Carangil, help me uncle," he cried.  
  
"Help me protect the women. Do not fear, Elbereth will protect us," he said just as the group of orcs broke through the door.  
  
Swords were out in a flash and the fighting surrounded them. He had killed many orcs when a pain sliced across his forehead. As darkness started to take him he heard screams and saw an elf come rushing in to help. Darkness claimed his body and he felt his soul start to depart when a flash of light brought him back.  
  
He opened his eyes and saw his brother Glorfindel fighting a Valaraukar and he tried to stand up. A hand held him down and he looked to see who it was. It was Tour, father of Eärendil the half-elven. He saw an eagle pass over head and his heart was lifted. Carangil looked to his brother and watched him deliver the deathblow to the Balrog of Morgoth. His brother looked at him and said, "I am sorry brother," as he fell over the side into death.  
  
On that very path he had lost his very last relative. His heart was breaking, it had already begun. With his last breath before unconsciousness he vowed to himself.  
  
"Until the dying day of the world or the end of my life no orc or evil creature shall ever live if I see them or ever receive mercy from any of my bloodline."  
  
He awoke in Nantathren and he set out on his quest for revenge and to take back what had been stolen from him. Thus Carangil, leader of the House of the Golden Flower, went into self-exile and all of the Gondolinrim wept at his lost for they thought he was dead.  
  
He wandered for many years until the end of the second age when he arrived at Lindon, where a great gathering was beginning and there he saw his brother Glorfindel and he rejoiced. He fought in the war against Sauron side by side with his brother and an old bond was reborn. 


	2. A Lament

Chapter One  
A Lament  
  
Carangil stood still looking down the shaft of his arrow while aiming his bow for an orc that happened to cross his path. He released his arrow and it hit at the same time as an arrow hit the orc on the other side. He looked towards the spot at which the other person would have been and didn't see a thing. He heard a twig snap and he spun around fast. He saw three young elves looking at him with a smug look on their faces. He saw the twin sons of Lord Elrond and the Prince of Mirkwood.  
  
"Well, hello boys," he said casually.  
  
"We are not boys, we have all come of age," replied Elrohir.  
  
"You challenge an Eldar, young one," he smugly replied as Elrohir's face darkened.  
  
"Excuse my brother Lord Carangil. He does not remember his manners often," said Elladan.  
  
"I care not, call me just Carangil if you please," he said.  
  
"Yes Lord Carangil," all three replied then took off running back towards Imladris.  
  
' Age can make a child an adult but age can never remove the child in an adult,' he thought as he headed back towards the Last Homely House where he and his brother lived. He arrived just at sunset and he awed yet again at the beauty of the sight and then his thoughts went to the beauty of his ancient city, which was now under the Sundering Seas and his wife. He started weeping and his voice rose into a lament. The wind rose around him and his red hair swirled around him and carried his song over land and sea to where he hoped his wife and son were listening to the lament.  
  
Carangil stopped singing and he opened his eyes and saw many elves had gathered around him and most were weeping. He turned to flee when he saw his brother Glorfindel looking down from a balcony, wind blowing his golden hair around, with a tear rolling down his cheek. He started walking towards that balcony and all the elves parted for him to pass. He saw Arwen crying into her mother's chest as tears fell down Celebrian's face. The three princes had a look in their eyes that said sorry. Lord Elrond stood at the door to the Last Homely House and they greeted in the traditional manner.  
  
He walked into his room and right into his brother's embrace. Tears fell freely down his face as it had done before and he looked at his brother.  
  
"I never saw my son, Glorfindel, I never saw my son," he said as he sat down with his head being held with his hands.  
  
"It was not your fault brother," said his brother as he sat down next to his brother.  
  
"I could have saved them," his brother shot back in anger.  
  
"It was a part of the song, it was all in Iluvatar's will," said Glorfindel.  
  
"From what I remember, his will was for us to be happy!" Carangil replied with his crimson eyes burning with wrath.  
  
"It is and it always will be. He brought us back together, was that not happy?" asked Glorfindel.  
  
"It was happy. It has been so long since I have seen my wife, it has been a whole age and more. I didn't even see my son," he replied as his eyes slowly lost their wrath.  
  
"For there sake, live your life, become what you are supposed to be, not what you think you should be," his brother said.  
  
"What am I supposed to be?" he asked with a confused look on his face.  
  
"An Eldar, an Elf-Lord, heir to the throne of an ancient kingdom as I am," was the reply.  
  
"I understand your reasoning brother it is just, how can I do something that requires joy when I have almost none," he said. "Build back your joy, do what you must to do that," he replied.  
  
"The only way to do that would be to go to the west and visit them in the Halls of Mandos," he said.  
  
"What about taking a journey with someone you only know a little about and get to know them," he suggested.  
  
"Where would I go?" he asked.  
  
"To the Golden Wood, a place where you can forget the past and learn to live again," replied Glorfindel.  
  
"I have been to the Golden Wood, it reminds me of the forest where I met Gilwen in the hidden realm," Carangil said sullenly.  
  
"I will not choose your path, for it is already set, but I will help you on it. You should choose at least one of the Princes to go with you, they are the simplest of all and will help you to be able to laugh again," he said in reply.  
  
"I shall take them all if they would come. You are right brother, they would make me laugh," he replied.  
  
"Now that this has passed, let us go to the Hall of Fire to listen to songs of the past and let us be merry and light hearted for tomorrow you shall begin your journey, younger brother," said Glorfindel as he rose and left the room with his brother following close behind. 


	3. A Beginning

Chapter Two  
  
A Beginning  
  
Carangil stood on the balcony overlooking the gardens of Imladris when he heard two people approaching. He still looked forward as they joined him. On is right stood the beautiful Celebrian and on his left stood her daughter, Arwen, the Evenstar of her people.  
  
"Good morning Lord Carangil," Arwen said as she looked over towards the fountains in the middle of the gardens.  
  
"Good morning Lady Arwen, Lady Celebrian, I trust you've slept well," he replied.  
  
"We have. I trust you are prepared for the journey?" asked Lady Celebrian.  
  
"I have, are the Princes ready?" he answered and asked in reply.  
  
"Yes, they are waiting for you at the stables," was the reply she gave.  
  
"I shall be leaving this fair house soon then," he said as he started to turn around but a hand stopped him.  
  
"Please Lord Carangil, have my brothers and Legolas home for my coming of age day, it will be three months from now. It would not be the same without them," asked Arwen.  
  
"Lady, they will be here or my life will be forfeit," he promised and she smiled.  
  
"Thank you Lord," she replied and he walked off towards the stables. He walked through the richly decorated hallway without seeing anyone. Carangil arrived at the side door and walked through the archway right into Lord Elrond and Glorfindel.  
  
"Morning Carangil, I have had the servants pack some things extra that you did not have but my foresight said you needed," said Lord Elrond.  
  
"Thank-you Lord, morning brother," he said in reply. "Morning," he replied.  
  
"Carangil, I have one thing I have to tell you and then you may depart," Lord Elrond said.  
  
' Oh no,' he thought.  
  
"It is fine," he said reading his mind, "Just remember, all is fair in love and war."  
  
With that they left leaving him to ponder what Lord Elrond had meant. He walked to the stables and saw the princes waiting with the horses. He saw his great mare, Asfaloth, and went over to stroke her beautiful neck.  
  
"Lord Carangil, I was getting worried you weren't going to show," said Elrohir in a serious tone like his father used.  
  
"Well I am here and we are going now," he said as he climbed up onto the horse and the princes did the same.  
  
They rode forth from Imladris towards the Gap of Rohan away from the sun and into an adventure to figure out why 'all was fair in love and war.' 


	4. A Remembrance

Chapter Three  
  
A Remembrance  
  
Carangil sat on his horse looking down the hill overlooking the abandoned country of Hollin. The twins sat on their horses to his right and the Prince of Mirkwood stood besides his horse on his left. This land held many sorrows. Sorrows unknown and many sorrows that would always be. His eyes looked over the ruins ahead on a hilltop that had been abandoned long ago. The Misty Mountains loomed up behind the plain land that was once green and his eyes were drawn to the door of Moria that one of his friends from the past had done while he was resting from one of his many journeys.  
  
Celebrimbor, the crafter of the Rings, slain by Sauron the deceiver, had made for him the necklace that he had laid close to his heart ever since that day. The golden chain that had been looped ever so gracefully down to the entwined gold and silver star with a ruby set in the center with his wife's name etched into the stone. A tear rolled down his cheek and he said a prayer to Eru for his soul and decided to head towards Lothlorien over the Redhorn Gate.  
  
"Come on, we must go south over the mountains, I must visit an old friend," he said looking at the princes.  
  
"Yes sir," said Elladan mockingly.  
  
They let Legolas mount and they started galloping towards the Misty Mountains. Carangil looked behind him at the rapidly receding horizon and saw a lone figure on a horse standing where they had just been. He started off back the opposite direction and disappeared behind the hills. Carangil turned back and telepathically communicated with Legolas.  
  
' Be on your guard, a rider was behind us and I don't know what he was or wanted but he had the eyes of a shadow elf. I felt them piercing just as our pierce,' he said.  
  
' I also felt them but it seemed to come from all around,' he replied.  
  
' Twins, did you feel eyes piercing you just now?' Carangil asked.  
  
' Yes, from all around,' they replied together. ' Be ready to fight, don't make any signs of hostility,' said Legolas telepathically from the other side as they still rode on.  
  
As they crested the hill they saw below them a great host of shadow elves on horses. They stopped and waited to see what would happen. A rider rode in from their left and they all guessed he was the one who was behind them. He rode into the center and spoke with one who was wearing a crown of some sort. They along with three others rode towards them with weapons in their sheaths saying they meant no harm. They arrived swiftly and dismounted along with all of them 


	5. A Shadow Elf

Chapter Four  
  
A Shadow Elf  
  
"Strangers, who are you and why do you come to our home?" asked the lead one.  
  
"I am Carangil, Lord of the House of the Golden Flower. This is Legolas, prince of Mirkwood. These two are the sons of Lord Elrond of Imladris. We are journeying to Lothlorien to speak with old friends. I may ask why you call this region of Hollin your home and who you are?" replied Carangil.  
  
"I am Darren, leader of the Jukin Sept. We have inhabited this region for many years now, we call it by a different name though, it is the land of Farlorn, the leader of our tribes and septs who died years ago fighting a great golden haired warrior that looks like him," he said pointing at Legolas.  
  
"I, Lord Darren, have never been this way before. I have always come by different means from Mirkwood my home," Legolas replied calmly.  
  
"I trust your word because you are true at your heart. But I still say he looked like you and was much older," he said.  
  
' Carangil, my cousin Haldir could have done it,' Legolas said telepathically.  
  
' Yes, but keep that quiet,' he responded.  
  
"If this conversation you are holding is so interesting please share," said Darren.  
  
"We were not talking," replied Carangil.  
  
"Just because you have seen the light of the trees and have lived in the greatest cities this world has ever seen does not make you better than us!" shouted the one on the left who had not spoken.  
  
"What do you know of it? Did you see the slaughtering at Alqualonde? Did you see the fall of Gondolin? Did you see the death of your own wife at the hands of an enemy you couldn't attack? What makes you think you have the right to order us around and treat us like dogs when we are truly better than you will ever be!" shouted Carangil whose anger had just burst from the depths of his soul.  
  
All drew back as a red glow that had been forming around him and the glow of silver and gold from his weapons blended and became a beautiful color that would never be seen again and it drew into him and his eyes shot open. 


	6. A Chosen One

Chapter Five  
  
A Chosen One  
  
All of the shadow elves bowed down before him in honor and Carangil was confused, as were the princes.  
  
' What are they doing?' asked Elrohir telepathically.  
  
' I have no idea,' said Carangil.  
  
' Perhaps they think you wield some special power,' offered Elladan.  
  
' But did you see the awe in their eyes, it was if they had seen a Vala,' said Legolas.  
  
' I have seen the Vala; they had more awe than that. It was an awe of respect for something they have seen before,' said Carangil.  
  
"Lord Carangil, you are the chosen," said Darren looking up.  
  
"The chosen for?" he asked in reply.  
  
"To bring the light into our lives," came the reply.  
  
"I am not able to do that, the trees are destroyed and the Silmarils lost, there is no light left in this world," Carangil replied.  
  
"You must take us to the lady of light, she will understand," Darren said earnestly.  
  
' Carangil, the Lady Galadriel is called the Lady of Light,' said Elladan through his mind.  
  
"What business would you have with the Lady Galadriel?" asked Elrohir.  
  
"Our leader saw her beauty long ago and told us when we died that the chosen one which would be revealed to us would take us to the Lady of Light," he replied.  
  
"How do we know you are telling the truth? This could be an assassination attempt on her. How can we tell?" asked Elladan.  
  
"I do not know how to make you trust us but I know you must," Darren replied.  
  
' What's that over there?' asked Legolas to the others.  
  
' It looks like a man cloaked in grey on a horse,' remarked Elladan not drawing the connection.  
  
' You dolt, it is Gandalf,' said Elrohir.  
  
"The grey wizard approaches," said Legolas to see what would happen to the shadow elves.  
  
They all turned and watched as the rider drew nearer. He reared to a stop in front of Carangil.  
  
"Lord Carangil, I bring news from the Lord Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel. They say to let these beings come. They also say that a beautiful surprise waits for you in the Golden Wood," he said smirking in his usual manner.  
  
"Mithrandir, it has been to long. Thank you for bringing the message. Will you please take on to my brother," he said in reply.  
  
"I will gladly take one to Lord Glorfindel. I must first speak with the shadow elves of what they must prepare themselves to come into the light," he said.  
  
Darren looked up at Gandalf on the horse and he smiled.  
  
"Lord Gandalf, we shall do as you command," he said while bowing. "Thank you, please just call me Gandalf, no more, no less," said Gandalf as he dismounted.  
  
"As you say, Gandalf," said Darren.  
  
"First of all, have you ever slayed any of your kinsmen or done any murder out of cold blood on anything besides the shadow spawn?" Gandalf the grey asked them.  
  
"I may only speak for my tribe, we have not slayed any elves, men or dwarves nor killed any thing in cold blood," Darren replied.  
  
' Carangil, we should be accused of some of these things,' said Legolas telepathically.  
  
' I must confess I have slayed an elf before, but never out of cold blood,' said Carangil in reply while the princes grimaced as they thought of the crossing of the ice in the far north and what had caused him and there relatives to cross it after a major kin slaying.  
  
"Second, have you ever pledged allegiance with either of the dark lords who are not worthy to be mentioned?" Gandalf continued with his questions.  
  
"We have never pledged to the inferior beings that many of our kindred have, we stayed true," was the reply that came.  
  
"Third and final, are you willing to sacrifice all for the will of Eru and what may come once you have been accepted by the Valar?" he asked while the shadow elves stayed quiet and thought about what they would answer.  
  
' Is there really a good answer for that question?' asked Elladan open telepathically so that Gandalf would hear it.  
  
' Yes young one, it is the one their heart will choose. Thanks to my master, Lórien, they know what answer they will choose. It has been revealed to them in dreams only if they understand them correctly,' Gandalf replied much to Elladan surprise.  
  
"I do not believe I would be able to do that," said Darren and Gandalf reply was much more surprising.  
  
"You are now trusted to enter the Golden Wood. Leave soon, these Imladrim must get home soon for a special occasion," he said as he mounted his horse and took off towards Imladris without getting Carangil's message for Glorfindel.  
  
' Gandalf, you did not get your message," he sent telepathically.  
  
' I did, but you did not know it,' came the reply and the link was severed.  
  
"We leave at dawn, we shall see you then, we must talk," said Carangil as Darren mounted their horses and rode off.  
  
Legolas turned and rode down the hill and the others followed not knowing what there was to talk about and were kind of confused at exactly what they were supposed to do. Carangil was letting his mind wander into the past to the phrase ' All id fair in love and war'. He longed to know what it meant and hoped the Lady could help him with this problem and what was the ' beautiful surprise' that awaited him there. 


	7. A Message Delivered

Chapter Six  
  
A Message is Delivered  
  
Gandalf rode into Imladris just three days after his meeting in the fields of Hollin. He dismounted and headed towards Lord Elrond's study. He barely paid any attention to the finely carven walls as he briskly walked down the halls. He entered the study and found Lord Elrond and Glorfindel waiting for him just like he had wanted. He sat down in a finely carven chair and set his hat on a table beside him.  
  
"Gandalf, how does my brother fair?" asked Glorfindel.  
  
"He fairs well, many tasks will be appointed unto him soon. Now he is leading a clan of Shadow elves to Lothlorien, there he will see his wife. But before he can leave for Valinor, as his heart will desire, he will be faced with a decision that will haunt him forever. He must choose between the sword or a life of exile," came the reply from the wise Istari.  
  
"Did he send word?" asked Lord Elrond pondering all that was said.  
  
"He thought much about what he would say but the message I took form his mind was, that he would be hear for Arwen's coming of age as he promised but that also, his oath will have no void from that day forth," Gandalf said.  
  
"We await his return," said Glorfindel as they all went into thoughts of what will happen in the weeks ahead. 


	8. Lothlorien

Chapter Seven  
  
Lothlorien  
  
Carangil sat on his horse looking at the Golden Wood from where he sat halfway down the mountain. The last couple of days had been long, the shadow elf, Darren, had asked too many questions for his liking and the princes had gone into silence, they did not like these "traitors" being able to come into the light. They had heard of the attacks they had done in the first and second ages on the Eldar. He started his horse again and set it at a brisk pace.  
  
They rode for an hour and a half when a party of elves came out of the woods on horses. They halted and waited for there arrival. The lead elf of that group rode up to Carangil and he recognized his immediately.  
  
"Haldir, it has been too long," he said as they clasped forearms.  
  
"That is the man," said Darren angrily.  
  
"I am an elf, not a man," Haldir said flatly.  
  
"You killed my father," he replied with wrath in his voice.  
  
"Any who attack the Lady dies at my sword, I fought for her safety, not for my own," he replied coolly.  
  
"Does this bother you Darren?" asked a sultry voice from behind a group of elves.  
  
"Why should it bother me, I care not. Who are you?" he asked.  
  
"I am queen, beautiful and terrible as the dawn, treacherous as the sea, stronger than the foundation of the earth. Does that scare you?" said the female voice in reply as Carangil and the princes tried to refrain from laughing. That was the phrase she used to frighten the young elves when she was mad.  
  
"Lady, I know not who you are, but I ask to see your face" came the reply. Galadriel walked forward from the group and all of the elves bowed their heads in reverence while the shadow elves stared in awe of her beauty.  
  
"Carangil, grandsons and nephew, please continue into Caras Galahdon, I will take this from here," she said and they bowed their heads and rode forth into Lothlorien.  
  
Carangil started laughing as soon as they were out of hearing range and soon the princes joined.  
  
"Grandmother used to threaten me with that when I would steal her needles and thread when she was sowing for Arwen," said Elrohir after the spells of laughter had ended.  
  
"I remember when she scared Lord Elrond with that after he had met Celebrian, he almost passed out," said Carangil giving ammo to the twins for revenge on their father.  
  
' I am surprised he laughed, he is lightening,' Legolas said to Elladan over a hidden telepathic link.  
  
' Father told me this would happen, we must rejoice for his sake,' was the reply and the link was severed. 


	9. Maiden of the Stars

Chapter Eight  
  
Maiden of the Stars  
  
Carangil looked upon the city with awe. He had only been to the Golden Wood twice before and the beauty astounded him. But beyond all beauty was the presence of something close to his soul in these woods. A love radiating from his heart blended with another he could not yet see. The princes sat besides him smiling at each other and they rode off towards the guesthouses. Carangil dismounted and started leading Asfaloth towards a pasture where he could sit under a tree and listen to the ever-changing music of the woods. He sat down and all went silent. He tensed thinking something was wrong until one clear note rose above the silence. His heart skipped a beat as the voice rose into the song of the history of the house of the Golden Flower. What hit his heart most was the fact the voice sounded exactly like his wife's voice when she would sit in front of the fountain and sing to the flowers in the garden. He heard movement behind him and turned and his heart soared into the heights. There the princes were walking besides his wife, Gilwen looked at him and tears started flowing down her face to match his own. He ran forward and took her into his arms and wept for joy and all the hate in his heart was swept away as a river sweep away the dam that the beaver builds. Elladan and Elrohir patted him on the back then went away leaving Legolas there just in case. They cried together for who knows how long because time stood still in this land. Carangil pushed her away to look at her face, her sweet, beautiful face.  
  
"My husband, it has been so long," she said calmly.  
  
"Yes my wife, it has," he said as he looked deep into her blue eyes.  
  
"How do you fare?" she asked.  
  
"I fare well now, and I will forever," he replied still looking at her eyes.  
  
"I bring a message, you must make a choice, to lay down your sword and live the life of an exile or to keep you sword and live in a life of peace," she said in a voice that was filled with total sincerity.  
  
"I will choose what ever road leads to you," came the reply.  
  
"I cannot help you husband, what road you choose is the road I must take, except I know the road you must take to enter Valinor," she said looking into his deep crimson eyes.  
  
"When must I choose?" he asked.  
  
"By tomorrow at sunset, then I will return to you and we will begin your new life," she said as she gently kissed his lips and walked away leaving him with Legolas to watch her back as she walked away. 


	10. Chosen Paths

Chapter Nine  
  
Chosen Roads  
  
"Legolas, what is the road you would choose for my heart is not helping me?" Carangil asked as he sat down besides the young prince that had become his friend over the past month and a half.  
  
"I would choose the path of the most humble, for that is what the Valar look for if my father is correct," he said in reply.  
  
"But what is more humble, laying down the sword and being exiled or taking it up and being peaceful? One is humiliation and the other is living a normal life," Carangil said.  
  
"The Valar love humility, but humiliation is not high on their list of liking. My personal choice would be keeping the sword, but that is my opinion," said the prince.  
  
"But the sword is against everything the Valar are for. The Doom of Mandos rang in my mind for a millennia and I still remember it constantly. I will do what I must but I need time to think by myself," he said standing up and walking towards the guesthouses.  
  
He saw many faces follow his track and new all were awaiting his decision. He knew then what he must do. He sought out the Lord Celeborn to talk with. He found him standing above the city on his flet high up in the trees. Their conversation lasted late into the night. The shadow elves came into the city during their conversation and the Lady Galadriel joined in the talk to help her friend that she had known for so long. That night his choice was made.  
  
The next day he prepared all that needed to be and went to the guesthouse of the princes.  
  
"Lord Carangil, what a lovely surprise. I suspected you would never come out of that house with your wife being here and all," said Elrohir in a playful manner.  
  
"I thought you knew better than to make fun of an Eldar," said Carangil in reply.  
  
"Has you decision been made?" asked Legolas. "Yes I have, and I have gifts for each of you for that is why I have come," was the reply.  
  
"What did you bring us that is so small? Lembas?" said Elladan playfully.  
  
"No, I have brought my weapons. I give to you Elladan, my bow crafted by the craftsmen of Gondolin. To you Elrohir I give my sword, crafted in Gondolin also. Legolas, to you I give my twin white knives, crafted in Valinor as a gift for reasons unknown to you," he said handing each his appointed gift as each stared at the beauty of it all.  
  
"So you have chosen the road of exile?" said Legolas.  
  
"I have not chose that road, the road of the sword is the road I am now on. It is for many reasons I gave to you my weapons. Too many to state," came the reply.  
  
For the rest of the day they sat and talked about life and many other things until sundown when a knock came at the door before Haldir opened it along with his brothers.  
  
"My Lords, you are invited to a feast in the White Hall, invite only," he said as He bowed.  
  
"We are no Lords, Lord Haldir, but we will come, I am starving," said Elrohir.  
  
"Ok, come with me," he said leading them into the Mallorn and up into the trees. 


	11. Feasting in the Trees

Chapter Ten  
  
Feasting in the Trees  
  
Haldir opened the door into the White Hall and they gasped. It was more beautiful every time. The Lady and Lord Celeborn sat at the head table along with Gilwen and four empty chairs where they were to sit. Haldir went and sat with his brothers at a side table. Carangil walked over to his wife and sat down as they clasped hands. He greeted all at the table and the food was brought out. They drank spiced elvish wine while eating roasted meats and vegetables along with some lembas. After they had finished the tableware was taken away and a fire was lit.  
  
"Lord Carangil, please will you tell us of your decision. We all must leave for our grand-daughters coming of age tomorrow and we wish to know if you will be traveling with us," said Lord Celeborn.  
  
"I have already spoken of my choice, it is neither exile nor the sword. I have already done both in my life and all I want is peace," was the reply that came.  
  
"My husband, that is the answer the Valar wanted. We may enter together to live forever in peace and happiness," said Gilwen from her seat and Carangil was happy.  
  
"Let us forget the sorrows of the past and enjoy the telling of the tale of Beren and Luthien. Come, let us go down to the meadow where the storytellers are waiting," said the Lady Galadriel.  
  
They went down and listened to the greatest love story that had ever happened. The tale was one filled with sadness and joy, life and death, recovering of things lost and the most important, acceptance between the races. They readied themselves for the journey home the next morning and they left before the sun had crested its peak. The journey was short and uneventful as they were a great host with many warriors. They reached Imladris two days before the day of Arwen's coming of age and many preparations were being made. 


	12. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
They celebrated Arwen's coming of age until they left with Cirdan the Shipwright for the Grey Havens where they boarded a ship to Valinor. Glorfindel and many of their other friends came and joined them at the beginning of the fourth age. All lived happily ever after and they all learned that all is fair in love and war.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
This was written a long, long time ago before I actually started to enjoy writing and making everything perfect. I only have this story up because I use the internet as a back up for all my files. 


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